Sheet forming apparatus and method



May 14, Q FlSCHER SHEET FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed March 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 6 IIIIIIllllllllllglllllllllll:

May 14, 1940. A FISCHER 2.200.269

SHEET FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed March 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES SHEET FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD I 1 Albert C. Fischerpcliicago, Ill. Application March 20, 1936, Serial No. 69,814

" -16 Claims; (o1. 154-1 Thisinvention relates to a method of and apparatus for forming sheets, and in its apparatus aspect has been illustrated as embodied in apparatus for forming sheets by alining and compressing narrow strips which are preferably of successively contrasting colors. Sheets for which this invention is especially suitable are also disclosed in this application. The term sheet is used for convenience, and is not'intended to implyany particular dimensions, for although the preferred form of the finished product, being suitable for shingles o-r tiles, is fairly thin, yet the invention is also applicable to thick slabs or even to blocks/ Furthermore, although. the sheet is formed continuously," it may be cut up into any sizes desired. v

In theflillustrated form of the invention, two

. Webs are formed of a plastic fibrous mixture or of any plastic, and the edges of, these webs are advanced over a die whereupon a'plunger severs narrow strips from the edge of each web and presses them down into ,a compacting nozzle where they are compacted against previously formed strips to which they adhere, and to which theyare preferably further bound by an interlacing of fibers. As more strips are added, a con tinuou's sheet is extruded from the far end of the nozzlegand it may be cut off into the desired lengths and given any further treatment that may be necessary. 'f v T An object of the invention is to provide a simple method for forming sheets of a composite charactor, and particularly sheets having a longitudinally extending succession of laminations, and, if desired, having these laminations extend along curved or angular lines of predetermined shape.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a simple form. of apparatus for manufacturing such a sheet.

A further object is to provide a laminated structure in which the laminations are secured together more firmly than in any such sheets which may have been proposedheretofore.

Other objects and advantages of my invention .will be apparent from the following description,

taken with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one form of apparatus embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the plunger shown in Fig. 1. I

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are planviews showing the shape of the die by which the cross section of the finished sheet is determined.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary elevational views of modified forms of plungers.

Figs; 8 and 9 are face views of the shingle ,re' sulting from the use of the plungers of Figs. 6 and 7, I Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the apparatus embodying this invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view showing in crosssectionone of the many sheets that can be made on this'apparatus. I

Although'this invention may take numerous forms, only two have been chosen for the purpose of illustration. According to this form the ap Whichmay be of any type desired and-which deliver the webs II and I2 over the die I 3 into which reciprocates' a plunger it cutting strips from the web and pressing them through the die I3 and then through the nozzle l6 which forms a continuation of the die I3. leave the nozzle I6 in the form of a sheet I5.

The illustrated type of web forming unitincludes a wide belt I8 extending around any suitable number of rollers I9, and another wide belt 2| extending around any suitable number of rollers 22. Any or all of the rollers I9 and 22 may be driven as by chains24. A batch 26 of any suitable material is deposited on the'belt It which extends beyond the belt 2I for this purpose. This batch may be deposited from time to time by hand or continuously by a hopper, and.

thebelt I8 may slant at the point of deposit or not, depending on the consistency of the material and the particular forming action desired.

-par'atus includes two web-forming units A and B The joined, strips 7 As the material 26 is 'drawn between the rotating belt I8 and the rotating belt 2!, it is fiattened out to form one of the webs I I or I2. Fixed shields 21 may be provided along the sides of the belts and at the end of belt I8 to prevent the material from; running off the belt.

' The material used may be any material which is of a plastic and cohesive nature, such as plastics, resins, Portland cement, or any other materials, with which there is preferably mixed any suitable fibrous material such as asbestos, though some plastics may be used alone. The material supplied to the unit ,A-is preferably of a different color from. that supplied to the unit B so as to produce ornamental effects in the resulting sheet I5, and in the tiles, slabashingles, or other products' which are finally made therefrom.

Thebelts I8 and ZI are not driven continuously but are driven intermittently .byany suitable driving mechanism indicated diagrammatically at 3t. During the period when the drive mechanism 3I is not driving the chains 24 which drive the belts. I8 and 2|, it drives a chain 32 which extends around a sprocket wheel 33 which drives a pinion 34 which in turn drives a toothed crank wheel 38. A connecting rod 31 is connected to the crank wheel 36 by a crank pin 38 and is also pivotally connected to a cross head 39 t which slides along fixed guideways 4I supported in any suitable manner. The plunger I4 is carried by the cross head 39 and is reciprocated by it into and out of the die I3. 7

The drive mechanism 3I is constructed to feed the twowebs I I and I? to the position illustrated and then to cause the plunger I4 to be driven; down to cut narrow strips from the webs II and I2, which strips are the width of the die I3.' The plunger comprises these newly cut strips against" the upper strip 44 of those previously out, and thus causes them to adhere together. In order that the strips will be compacted together. with sufficient firmness, the nozzle It has its walls converging as illustrated, so that the movement of the strips therethrough is frictionally retarded. The walls may be heated by burners 45in furnace 41 if necessary to keep the material from, sticking to the walls of nozzle II.

that these Walls converge, together with the consistency of the material and the temperature of the walls, will determine the degree to which the strips are compacted and the firmness with which they are pressed together. The material should be stiff enough to offer considerable oppo' sition to passing through the nozzle.

In order to unite these strips more firmly, it ispreferred that the bottom face of the plunger I4 be provided with a series of pegs 46 which may extend entirely along the length of said surface as illustrated in Fig. 1. These pegs will form pockets in each strip as it presses the strip into the die It and in turn will press portions of the succeeding strips into said pockets, thus completing an inter-engagement of the successive strips. This inter-engagement is especially effective if the material used is fibrous, since in that event the fibers will thus be caused to interlace with one another.

If the webs II and I2 should be fairly thick, so that the action of the plunger I4 or the pegs 46 is not satisfactory when it works on both webs- II and I2 at once, the drive mechanism 3| may be changed to drive units A and B alternatively,

that the plunger I4 will first out off and press down a strip from the web' I I and next out ofi and press down a strip from the web I2. With this alternate movement, the two webs II and I2 may be at the same level.

The method of making the sheets is believed to be quite clear from the foregoing description, although it should be understood that it could be practicedwithout the illustrated apparatus. dividual strips could be formed in any way and pressed one against another sequentially to form a sheet. The use of a nozzle such as a nozzle I6 would of course be extremely helpful in this connection and may be considered as definitely a part of the preferred method. Likewise, the method is especially practical when one or more strips are cut off and pressed against preceding strips by the same motion of a plunger.

After the sheet I5 has been formed it may be treated in any desired manner as by cutting it into the desired sizes for shingles, tiles, or any other products, and finishing these products by drying or baking them in apress if desired. Of

course if accuracy of shape is not necessary, the

The amount.

products may be dried or baked without the use of a press, but with most materials a stronger product will result if pressure is used during hardening.

The cross section of the die I3 and of the nozzle I6 may take many forms to produce many forms of sheets. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

the die I3 may have an opening 5| therein which is simplyrectangular in shape to .form. a flat sheet. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the opening 5I in the die may have enlarged porti0ns52 therein which will form a sheet having raised portions extending therealong. Such a sheet may be especially suitable for tiles. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the die I3 may have an opening 53 therein which will produce a corrugated sheet. It should be understood that in each case in which the die is specially shaped, the nozzle I6 and the plunger I4 will be of a shape corresponding to that of the die and, if desired, the rollers 48 may H also be shaped to conform to the shape ofcthe extruded sheet. The nozzle Ilimay be specially shaped even though the die is not especially shaped when the material is quite plastic.

Although only three shapes have been illuswhich case it will be carried above the die on the.

next movement of the strip I I, so that there will in fact be no waste in this form either. With this form it may be desirable to move the strip I2 farther than the strip II is moved on each feed-.5

ing movement.

The plunger I4 will produce a V the stripes run straight across the sheet. If it is desired to have the stripes appear otherthan straight, the plunger I'4 may have its bottom surface shaped to correspond to the shape of stripe desired. For example, the plunger I4 may be replaced by a plunger I4ashaped as seen in Fig. 6,

sheet in which with an angular bottom surface,.to which may be added the pegs 46 if desired. A plunger of this shape will give each of the stripsa corre-' sponding shape as it cuts them off, and this shape will be substantially retained in the further compacting, so that the finished sheet will have the appearance shown in Fig. 8 inwhich the cross hatching may represent any two contrasting colors, although a single color could be used if preferred.

In Fig. '7 is illustrated a plunger I4b having a.

curved bottom surface to which the pegs 46 may also be added if desired. From the foregoing discussion it will be clear that this plunger will produce a sheet having the appearance illustrated in Fig. 9. r t

In case the webs II and I2 are not formed of a material which will cause the strips to be sufiiciently bound together, or, in case any special color effects may be desired between the laminations, spray guns 50 may be provided. There will preferably be a series of such spray guns 59' an adhesive material such as glue, and may be colored with a dye or otherwise. It will be obvious that when the strips are severed and .pressed glue between elements for the sake of stability in the opera- 7 tion of the plunger I4. Likewise, instead of a simple cross head of the type shown, there may be a cross head having two spaced cross bars providing greater accuracy in the positioning'of the plunger I4. Although a chain drive has beenillustrated, the parts could of course be driven in any other manner and they might even be driven byseparate motors if there is provided some automatic means for starting the parts in the right sequence and stopping them in the right positions.

The web-forming units A and B illustrated may be replaced by any other suitable type of webforming apparatus suchas paper-making machines, extruding machines (see Patent No. 2,011,160, issued Augustl3, 1935, to Plepp) or by other forms of machines similar to that illustrated for rolling out the web. Likewise the plunger reciprocating apparatus may be replaced by other apparatus performing the same func tion. 'It should also be noted that the two webs need not necessarily approach the die from opposite directions, but may lie one over another, in which case there may be any desired number of webs having different characteristics or colors. When a variegated productis not desired, a single one of the Web-forming units may be used, or

they may both be used with the same material.

unit B similar to those shown in Fig; 1, though preferably adjusted to form a thicker web I I2 of material. There may be a similar such unit forming a Web I I I approaching from the opposite side.

A plunger 4 may .be provided similar to the plunger I4 and operated in the same manner. It need not include the pegs 45, since they would have little or no advantage in this instance. The plunger II4 operates through a die H3 and cuts off strips of the material, each of which drops freely onto a bed II5 along which it is slid by a second plunger II! which is "reciprocated in a manner similar to that shown for plunger I4, and operates to press the severed strips II9 successively into and eventually through a nozzle M6, the walls of which converge except at the portion wherein the plunger reciprocates. It should be noted that in all instances the plunger should reciprocate between walls so spaced that there will be no undue oozing between the walls and the plunger. A little oozing may be beneficial in interlocking the strips to one another. Of course the plunger should not fit so tightly between the walls of the nozzle as to objectionably entrap air. Vents may be provided if desired, especially above the area of forceful compacting. In the case of Fig. 10, the entrance to the nozzle IIB may be slightly flaredto facilitate pressing the strips into said nozzle.

Above the paths of the webs III and H2 there may be provided a groove-forming roll I26 having projections I21 formed on its surface. These projections may be in the form of ribs extending the widthof the web I2 and making grooves entirely across the web, or they may be of shorter extent, making small depressions in the web.

Beyond the roll I26 there may be provided a hopper Isl for feeding an additional material to the surface of the web Hz. This hopper may extend substantially to the surface of the web so as to fill the depressions therein, ,or there may he provided a feeding mechanism I32 to sprinkle a uniform layer of the, added material thereon. This added material may be granular, fibrous,or plastic in nature, and if fibrous it maybe preferred to have a separate device for forming-a Web of the fibrous material to be superimposed on the web IIZ. .One material that might be used in this manner is rock wool. It might also be desired in some instances to insert bars or tubes of metal or other material in the grooves formed by the roll I26. This could be done by a feeding device or by hand.

In order to maintain the grooves when the 4 strips are cut from the web, the plunger H4 may be provided with a rib I36 corresponding in shape to the ribs I21 on the roll I26. If the added material is applied over the entire surface of the web IIZ, the plunger II will tend to press this added material into the plastic material, at the same time that it severs the strips therefrom.

As the plunger III presses the strips H9 into the nozzle H6 and compacts them against the preceding strips to form the sheet I38, it will change the shape of the groove in the strip H9, tending to close it and thereby lock the added material in place. This may be especially valuable in connection with such a material as rock wool, since it will hold the wool firmly while leaving the surface portion of the wool comparatively free so that its insulating value will not be impaired. The various parts of the apparatus of Fig. 10 would of course be driven in the necessary sequential orde by any means such as a gear box such-.as that illustrated diagrammatically at 3! in Fig. 1. In this instance one of the webs III or H2 is advanced to a position over the die II3 where it is stopped while the plunger H4 cuts off a strip and deposits it on the plate H5. As the plunger H4 returns to its original position, the plunger II'I may operate to press thesevered strip I I9 into the nozzle I I6 and compact it onto the end of the sheet I38. As soon as the plunger H4 is out of the way, the web H2 or the other web III may be advanced. The plungers H4 and ill may be stopped in the positions shown, or their timing may be such that the crank wheels for operating these plungers need not be stopped.

From the foregoing it is evident that a wide variety of products may be formed by the. apparatus and method of this invention. Thus there i may be formed a striped sheet material from which may be cut tiles, shingles, roofing sheets, etc., in which the stripes may appear as parallel straight lines, curved line's, angular lines, or irregular lines of any desired shape. In all these forms the strips forming the stripes may 1 be secured together by cohesion, by interlacing the fibers, and also by being cupped into one another by the pegs 46. Also, in all of these forms the cross section of the sheet may be rectangular or it may have specific shapes such as those shown in Figs. 4 and 5 for example. The stripes may be formed of different materials if this should be desired. Composition sheets may also be formed, by the form of apparatus and method illustrated in Fig. 10, in which each strip comprises two layers, one on one side of the sheet and one on the other. In this instance the base layers may be any plastic material of such nature that the strips will adhere to one another, and the surface material may be of almost any nature imaginable, such as metal particles or filings, fibrous materials of a vegetable nature or otherwise, such as rock wool, or any granularmaterial or any mastic. For example, a slate surfaced sheet l5l for roofing may be made by using a base of Portland cement with or without asbestos fibers, or a mixture of elastic material and fibers, and sprinkling the crushed slate or similar granular material thereon. In this instance it may be desired to omit the roll I26 and the rib I35 so as to have a relatively smooth surface, since the action of the plungers I I4 and II! will work the granules into the materials sufficiently. If desired, the plunger H4 may press the strips against the plate H5.

Although but one embodiment of my invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, but is to be limited only by the prior art. The following claims are intended to point out some of' the features now recognized as new, rather than to limit the invention to these features.

I claim:

1. The method of continuously forming thin hard slabs which includes the steps of continuously forming strips of a width approximately equal to the thickness of the desired slabs of a plastic and cohesive material capable of hardening, continuously and successively pressing said strips together into adhesive engagement with each other while the material is in its plastic state to form a sheet having the edges of said strips exposed on its face, cutting slabs from said sheet, and causing said slabs to harden.

2. The method of making continuously variegated sheets which includes the steps of conjointly cutting a plurality of fiat strips of cohesive material of a width approximately equal to the desired thickness of the sheet of different materials of contrasting appearance and repeatedly pressing the contrasting strips successively into interengagement with each other to form a thin sheet having the edges of said strips exposed on its face, the pressing step including the pressin occasioned by subsequent cutting operations.

3. The method of making continuously variegated sheets, which includes the steps of conjointly cutting a plurality of flat strips of cohesive material of a width approximately equal to the desired thickness of the sheet of different materials of contrasting appearance and repeatedly pressing the contrasting strips successively into interengagement with each other against a force of increasing frictional resistance to form a. thin sheet having the edges of said strips exposed on its face.

4. The method of making continuously variegated sheets which includes the steps of forming a plurality of layers of cohesive material of contrasting appearance, moving said layers intermittently from opposite directions to place their edges in alinement with a constricted passage, cutting strips from said layers and pressing each face to face againstthe'preceding strips into said passage.

5. The method of making variegated sheets which includes the steps of forming a plurality of layers of cohesive material of contrasting appearance, moving said layers repeatedly from opposite directions to place their edges between two cutting members and at the same time in alinement with a constricted passage, cutting strips from said layers and pressing each face to face against the preceding strip by moving a plunger across and between the cutting members and into said passage. 6. The method of making continuously thin sheets which includes the steps of forming nu edges of said strips exposed on its face, and distorting said strips into one another to secure them together more reliably.

7. The method of making sheets, which includes the steps of forming a layer of cohesive material, moving said layer repeatedly to place its edge beyond a cutting member and at the same time in alinement with a constricted passage, cutting strips from said layer and pressing each face to face against the preceding strip by moving a plunger having pegs on its face across the cutting member and into said passage.

8. Apparatus for making sheets, including means for forming a layer of plastic cohesive material, means for cutting strips from said layer, and means'for pressing said strips together face to face to form a sheet having the edges of the strips exposedon its surfaces, and projecting means on said pressing means for distorting said strips into one another to secure them together more reliably.

' 9. Apparatus for making sheets including means for'forming a layer of plastic'cohesive material, means for cutting strips from said layer, and means for pressing said stripstogether face to face successively and continuously to form a sheet having the edges of the strips exposed on its surfaces, including a constricted nozzle and a reciprocating plunger having pegs on its face, for pressing successive strips into said nozzle and causing the sheet to be extruded there-j from.

10. The method of forming continuously a sheet having an irregular surface, including the steps of cutting a plurality of strips having faces shaped approximately as the cross section of the desired sheet from a layer of cohesive plastic material, and pressing said strips successively into adhesive interengagement with each other to form a sheet of said crosssection.

11. The method of continuously making thin sheets which includes the step of forming flat layers of cohesive material by successively cutting said layers into narrow strips, pressing said layers into adhesive engagement face to face successively, and distorting said layers into one another to secure them together more reliably to form a thin sheet with the edges of the layers exposed in the faces of thejsheet.

12. The method of making thin sheets which includes the steps of forming a layer of cohesive material, cutting said layer into a plurality of flat strips of a width approximately equal to the desired thickness of the sheet, and pressing said strips successively into contact with. each other against the force of an increasing frictional resistance.

13.,The method ofmaking sheets which includes the steps of forming a layer of cohesive material, cutting strips from said layer of a width approximately equal to' the desired thickness of the sheet, and'pressing each of said strips face to face against the preceding strip against the force of an increasingfrictional resistance, and heating the strips in the course of the pressing operation.

14. In an apparatusfor producing sheets comprising means for forming a layer of plastic cohesive material, means for cutting strips from,

said layer, and means for pressing said strips together face to face successively and continuously to form a sheethaving the edges of the strips exposed on its surfaces, including a. constricted nozzle and a reciprocating plunger with a nonplanar end for pressing successive strips into said nozzle and causing the sheet to be extruded therefrom.

15. In an apparatus for producing sheets comprising meansfor forming a layer of plastic 00- hesive'material, means for cutting strips from said layer, and means for pressing said strips together face to face successively and continuously to form a sheet having the edges of the strips exposed on its surfaces, including a constricted nozzle and a reciprocating plunger with said layers of material from different sources to acommon location, means for simultaneously cutting strips from said layers, and means for pressing said strips together face to face successively and continuouslyto form a sheet having the edges of the strips exposed on its surfaces, including a constricted nozzle and a reciprocating plunger for pressing successive strips into said. nozzle and causing the sheet to be extruded therefrom.

ALBERT C. FISCHER. 

